Arbitration review decision ignores financial realities, emphasizes funding inequity

October 22, 2025

Winnipeg, MB, in the National Homeland of the Red River Métis - The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) - the National Government of the Red River Métis - as well as the Métis Child and Family Services Authority, Métis Child, Family and Community Services, and Michif Child & Family Services are disappointed by the results of yesterday`s judicial review, which upheld an arbitrator`s May 20^th decision to impose unsustainable wage increases on the Métis CFS system.

While the Métis Agencies fully agree with the wage increases and believe all the hardworking and valued staff are deserving of an increase, they simply cannot afford to meet the demands of the arbitration due the chronic underfunding of its system by Manitoba.

"The Agencies have been actively doing everything in their power to conserve dollars and prevent layoffs to offset the cost of the wage increases for some," said Mona Buors, MMF's Minister for Child and Family Services. "As a result, it has not filled staffing vacancies in 26 roles - by leaving those roles unfilled, the Métis Agencies will be able to prevent layoffs from taking place. However, we're all very worried about any resulting gaps in service, as well as the stress and pressure on existing staff to keep service levels strong. The union and the Government of Manitoba are well aware of the fact that the Métis Agencies is not funded at the same levels as Manitoba's General Authority but do nothing to improve the circumstances or advocate for desperately needed change."

These measures to prevent layoffs will only allow the Métis Agencies to continue operating at current services levels until the next fiscal year in April. At that time, it will be faced with the same challenges, to do more with less than their peers in Manitoba's General Authority.

The funding inequities of the Métis Child and Family Services System (CFS) have been ongoing for many years. Even with the recent victory for our children and the return of their Children's Special Allowance funds between 2005 and 2019, the Métis Agencies have been forced to go back to court again, because Manitoba hasn't stopped taking away these funds from 2019 forward. This was the year that Manitoba reduced the Métis Agencies funding allocation by a number essentially equal to what it received the prior year in Children's Special Allowance funds.

Additionally, the Single Envelope Funding system that was introduced the same year has demonstrated no benefit to children in care. Funding levels remain inadequate, including basic maintenance, which falls well below the monthly cost of raising children, even after the Métis Agencies lobbied hard for the increase for 2025-26, which was only $2 million, still falling short of achieving parity with Manitoba's General Authority.

"The Métis Agencies are constantly left trying to play catch up with Manitoba's General Authority, even though our staff are just as qualified as theirs," said Minister Buors. "We remain grateful for our team's ongoing dedication to the children in our care as they go above and beyond on a daily basis. But gratitude doesn't put food on the tables of their own families. Manitoba needs to ask itself why our Métis Agencies aren't funded the same way its own General Authority is funded when the work, the care and the qualifications are the same. It continues to uphold a system where our children can never achieve parity with their non-Métis peers."

"Our present funding does not allow us to meet the demands of this decision, and the Union and the Government of Manitoba need to share the accurate information to the people they represent," said David Chartrand, President of the MMF. "Nobody wins in this situation, but some of the parties get to walk away without being held accountable, with our children in care and their families ultimately bearing the heaviest cost."

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For more information, media may contact:
Kat Patenaude
Media Relations Advisor
Manitoba Métis Federation
204-801-7710
Kat.Patenaude@mmf.mb.ca

Believe in Yourself; Believe in Métis.

The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) is the democratically elected National Government of the Red River Métis, also known as the Manitoba Métis. The Red River Métis are a distinct Indigenous Nation and People and Canada's Negotiating Partners in Confederation and the Founders of the Province of Manitoba.

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